D&D General Alternate Stats for Initiative [+]

[Quickleaf]

Crazy idea: Initiative is counted from lowest current hit points going first, up to highest current hit points going last. Basically initiative as "urgency to act."

The caveat would be solo/legendary monsters getting special treatment with some kind of off-normal-turn action capability.

 

[Vaalingrade]

Crazy idea: Initiative is counted from lowest current hit points going first, up to highest current hit points going last. Basically initiative as "urgency to act."

The caveat would be solo/legendary monsters getting special treatment with some kind of off-normal-turn action capability.

That's a kind of interesting way to go with it that I'm not sure I've seen before.

 

[Zaukrie]

Crazy idea: Initiative is counted from lowest current hit points going first, up to highest current hit points going last. Basically initiative as "urgency to act."

The caveat would be solo/legendary monsters getting special treatment with some kind of off-normal-turn action capability.

Ooh. I'm going to add this to my long list of options for my web series. Thanks.

 

[Quickleaf]

That's a kind of interesting way to go with it that I'm not sure I've seen before.

Yeah, all initiative systems have some degree of ridiculousness when you get into them, so if we're using one initiative system (how most games handle it) rather than several systems depending on situation (how I'm trying to house rule it), it's sort of a case of which sort of ridiculousness can you stomach best.

In this inverse HP=initiative, for example, you'd have ridiculousness like "Ah, that was a good potion of healing! But I'm slower, guess I'm feeling sluggish now."

 

[Deset Gled]

How's this for something to try: Initiative uses the lowest of your DEX, INT, or WIS bonus.

You might notice the threat (WIS) but you're held back by your physical ability to respond (DEX). You might be fast enough (DEX), but your brain didn't process that there was actually a problem (INT). You might be smart enough to tell when someone's about to pull a knife, but that doesn't help if you don't notice the finger motions (WIS). You're limited by the weakest response stat, rather than propelled by your best.

In the metagame, this is a good way to discourage dump stats (especially INT, which is annoyingly common in my 5e experience). You could also just use two stats instead of three (probably DEX and INT).

Alternatively, you could use the average bonus of these stats. Same basic concept, but a little less swing-y. Primarily useful if you roll for stats and don't want players to feel punished by randomness.

 

[Vaalingrade]

Yeah, all initiative systems have some degree of ridiculousness when you get into them, so if we're using one initiative system (how most games handle it) rather than several systems depending on situation (how I'm trying to house rule it), it's sort of a case of which sort of ridiculousness can you stomach best.

In this inverse HP=initiative, for example, you'd have ridiculousness like "Ah, that was a good potion of healing! But I'm slower, guess I'm feeling sluggish now."

The more I think about it, the more I'm liking it actually.

It's actually an anti-death spiral mechanic as it gives people who took a lot of damage time to deal with that.

 

[Deset Gled]

The more I think about it, the more I'm liking it actually.

It's actually an anti-death spiral mechanic as it gives people who took a lot of damage time to deal with that.

In general, I don't like giving bonuses for being hurt. But that's more a discussion about HP philosophy, which probably isn't worth getting into. I'd also be worried about punishing tanks and giving free bonuses to squishy casters.

In practice, I think I would like it more in an earlier D&D system where death is a bigger threat, and resource management is more significant. In 5e, where healing is easier and death is already bouncy, I forsee an annoying amount of intentionally exploring with low HP for the initiative boost.

 

[Corinnguard]

Why not have Initiative as a Skill? Skills in 5e and A5e can use any ability score during a skill check and they get better every time your PB goes up by 1. Also, every class would be proficient in it if it were a skill.

 

[Vaalingrade]

In general, I don't like giving bonuses for being hurt. But that's more a discussion about HP philosophy, which probably isn't worth getting into. I'd also be worried about punishing tanks and giving free bonuses to squishy casters.

It's not really that much of a bonus because as I mentioned, the only characters initiative matters for are rogues (at the start of initiative) and the few people still trying to be tactical--which casters have never needed tactics.

 

[Deset Gled]

Why not have Initiative as a Skill? Skills in 5e and A5e can use any ability score during a skill check and they get better every time your PB goes up by 1. Also, every class would be proficient in it if it were a skill.

From a game design standpoint, the immediate red flag is that it is by far the most powerful and important skill by a very wide margin. Everyone would want to choose proficiency in it. Effectively, it becomes a proficiency tax rather than a choice